By themselves, they're just small moments in and around beer. Together, they're the culture we love.

no. 257

March 3, 2017

Who knew nostalgia would be such an important part of marketing craft beer in 2017? While one part of the industry fires off into the future with innovative IPAs and sour beers, the other side is focusing on pumping out as much Lager and Pilsner as they can to chip away at that macro market share where it hurts. Then along comes old brands themselves, puling on your heart-strings for times-gone-by—or at least the idealized, ironic memory of them. Like this Champagne Velvet resurrection from Upland Brewing in Indiana, launched a few years back.

If you think the future of beer belongs to the young craft brewers making the most esoteric beers they can ship to Copenhagen, think again. As a culture we have a funny way of hitting the reset button just when it seems like progress is forever.